Chrysanthemum plant named `Pilar`

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named `Pilar`, characterized by its anemone spray-type inflorescences that are about 6.5 cm in diameter; attractive purple ray florets with yellow-tipped disc florets; numerous inflorescences per flowering stem; numerous ray and disc florets per inflorescence; and excellent postproduction longevity with flowering stems maintaining good substance and color for at three or four weeks in an interior environment after one week of cool storage.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora andreferred to by the cultivar name Pilar.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe inventor in Salinas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program isto create new Chrysanthemum cultivars having inflorescences withdesirable colors and good form and substance.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the inventor inNovember, 1991, in Salinas, Calif. of the commercial cultivar Effect(disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,935) as the female, or seed, parentwith an unnamed proprietary seedling selection as the male, or pollen,parent. The female parent, the commercial cultivar Effect is a anemonespray-type cut Chrysanthemum with light purple ray florets andyellow-green disc florets. The male parent, seedling number 0356, is adaisy spray-type cut Chrysanthemum with light pink ray florets.

The cultivar Pilar was discovered and selected by the inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlledenvironment in Salinas, Calif. on Apr. 5, 1993. The selection of thisplant was based on its desirable inflorescence color and good form andsubstance.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in acontrolled environment in Salinas, Calif., has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

The cultivar Pilar has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of `Pilar`. These characteristics incombination distinguish `Pilar` as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Anemone spray-type inflorescences that are about 6.5 cm in diameter.

2. Attractive purple ray florets with yellow-tipped disc florets.

3. Numerous inflorescences per stem.

4. Numerous ray and disc florets per inflorescence.

5. Excellent postproduction longevity with flowering stems maintaininggood substance and color for at three or four weeks in an interiorenvironment after one week of cool storage.

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The first photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typicalflowering stem of `Pilar` grown as a single stem spray cutChrysanthemum.

The second photograph comprises a side perspective view of typicalinflorescences of the cultivar Pilar.

The third photograph comprises a top perspective view of adaxial (left)and abaxial (right) surfaces of typical inflorescences of the cultivarPilar.

The fourth photograph comprises a top perspective view of the adaxial(bottom of photograph) and abaxial (top of photograph) surfaces ofleaves of the cultivar Pilar at two different stages of developmentshowing the differences in size and lobation development. Floret andfoliage colors in the photographs may differ from the actual colors dueto light reflectance.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe plants grown in Salinas, Calif., undercommercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse. Rootedcuttings were planted Nov. 7, 1996 and cut flowers were harvested onJan. 13, 1997. After planting rooted cuttings of the new cultivar,plants received three weeks of long day/short nights following by shortday/long nights until flowering. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages for six typical flowering stems.

Botanical classification: Dendranthema grandiflora cultivar Pilar.

Commerical classification: Anemone spray-type cut Chrysanthemum.

Parentage:

Male or pollen parent.--Unnamed proprietary Dendranthema grandifloraseedling selection number 0356.

Female or seed parent.--Dendranthema grandiflora cultivar Effect(disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,935).

Propagation:

Type.--Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to rooting.--Seven to ten days with soil temperatures of 21C.

Rooting habit.--Fine, fibrous and well-branched.

Plant description:

Appearance.--Perennial herbaceous anemone spray-type cut flower. Stemsupright, uniform habit and freely branching.

Flowering stem length.--About 86 cm.

Foliage description.--Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Leaf size, fullyexpanded: Length: About 12 cm. Width: About 7.75 cm. Leaf apex:Cuspidate. Leaf base: Attenuate. Leaf margin: Deeply lobed. Leaftexture: Abaxial and adaxial surfaces slightly pubescent. Veinsprominent on abaxial surface. Color: Young foliage adaxial surface:147A. Young foliage abaxial surface: 147B. Mature foliage adaxialsurface: 147A. Mature foliage abaxial surface: 147B. Venation adaxialsurface: 147B. Venation abaxial surface: 147B. Petiole: Length: About2.5 cm. Color: 147B.

Flowering description:

Appearance.--Anemone-type inflorescence form. Inflorescences borne onterminals, arising from leaf axils. Disc and ray florets arrangedacropetally on a capitulum.

Flowering response.--Under natural conditions, plant flowers in theautumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times of the year,inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under shortday/long night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Plantsexposed to three weeks of long day/short night conditions after plantingfollowed by photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower about53 days later.

Postproduction longevity.--In an interior environment, flowering stemswill maintain good color and substance for at three or four weeks in aninterior environment after one week of cool storage.

Quantity of inflorescences.--About 10 inflorescences per flowering stem.

Inflorescence size.--Diameter: About 6.5 cm. Depth (height): About 1.5cm. Diameter of disc: About 4 cm.

Ray florets.--Shape: Elliptic. Size: Length: About 3.2 cm. Width: About8 mm. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture: Satiny,smooth, glabrous. Aspect: Mostly flat to slightly cupped. Number of rayflorets per inflorescence: About 52. Color: When opening: Adaxialsurface: 82B/82C. Abaxial surface: 84B. Mature: Adaxial surface: 82C.Abaxial surface: 84B/84C.

Disc florets.--Shape: Tubular during early development becomingoblanceolate to spatulate with further development. Apex: Dentate. Size(largest): Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: Apex: About 6 mm. Base: About 1mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 170. Color:Immature: Apex: 154A to 5A. Base: White. Mature: Tube: Apex: 5A.Mid-section: 82C. Base: White. Throat: Apex: 82B. Base: White.

Peduncle.--Aspect: Strong and angled about 55° to the stem. Length:First peduncle: About 4.25 cm. Fourth peduncle: About 7 cm. Seventhpeduncle: About 9.25 cm. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: 147B.

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Anthercolor: 9A. Pollen: Moderate, 9A in color. Gynoecium: Present on both rayand disc florets.

Disease resistance: No known Chrysanthemum diseases observed to date onplants grown under commercial greenhouse conditions.

Seed production: Seed production has not been observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plantnamed `Pilar`, as illustrated and described.